Performances

Tune of the Day: Toccata and Fugue in D minor

by Johann Sebastian Bach, arranged for Flute duet

This piece of organ music was composed by Johann Sebastian Bach sometime between 1703 and 1707. It is one of the most famous works in the organ repertoire, and has been used in a variety of popular media ranging from film, to video games, to rock music, and ringtones.

However, the attribution of the piece to Bach has been challenged since the early 1980s by a number of scholars, and remains a controversial topic. In fact, the piece contains several features that are only typical for post-1750 music, and some musicologists have suggested that the work may actually be an exercise by a later composer, who tried to imitate Baroque idioms.

About the transcription: many parts of the toccata are very hard to play well as a duet, as they require perfect synchronization; the fugue is somewhat easier. You will also notice that the piece contains many passages that are fun to toy with even as solos.